List of countries with overseas military bases

This is a list of all the countries that possess overseas military bases.

Overseas military bases enable a country to conduct expeditionary warfare and influence events overseas. Depending on their size and infrastructure, they can be used as staging areas or for logistical, communications and/or intelligence support.

Many conflicts throughout modern history have resulted in overseas military bases being established in large numbers by world powers. The United Kingdom, France and other colonial powers established overseas military bases in many of their colonies during the First and Second World Wars. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union established military bases within their respective spheres of influence. More recently, the War on Terror has resulted in overseas military bases being established in the Middle East.

Whilst the overall number of overseas military bases has fallen since 1945, the United States, United Kingdom, France and Russia still possess a substantial number. Smaller numbers of overseas military bases are operated by China, India, Japan, Italy, and Turkey. The United States is the largest operator of overseas military bases, with as many as 662 sites in 38 countries in 2010.^[1]

China

• Djibouti - China announced plans in November 2015 to establish a naval facility in the city of Djibouti to provide logistic support for anti-piracy operations along the Horn of Africa.^[2]

France

• Burkina Faso - 80 personnel; primarily special forces
• Cameroon - 15 people; logistic base
• Central African Republic - 1600 personnel
• Chad - 950 personnel
• Djibouti - 1,900 personnel
• Gabon - 900 personnel
• Germany - 500 personnel; Franco-German Brigade
• Guinea - 150 personnel
• Ivory Coast - 450 personnel
• Lebanon - 1,100 personnel
• Mali - 2,000 personnel
• Niger - 240 personnel
• Senegal - 350 personnel
• Kosovo - 300 personnel
• United Arab Emirates - 700 personnel

In addition, France has military bases in French overseas territories: French Guiana, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Réunion and Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

India

• Tajikistan - Farkhor Air Base, Indian Air Force
• Bhutan - Military bases along the Paro Valley, Haa district, Gunitsawa, and eastern Bhutan. ^[3]

Italy

• Albania - DIE, the Italian Expert Delegation, was established on 28 August 1997, at the end of the “Alba” mission, within the framework of the MOU signed by the Italian and Albanian Ministers of Defence. In Albania, it carries out joint bilateral cooperation activities and assists the Albanian Armed Forces in adjusting their structures to NATO models, through conceptual, training and logistic activities. Support is provided by defining priorities in detail, in cooperation with Albanian experts, finalizing the various projects, and coordinating the actions/activities related to the dispatchment of aid, as well as all the needs involving the entire National Defence structure.^[4]
• Djibouti - BMNS Base Militare Nazionale di Supporto (National Support Military Base) - 300 personnel. Italy has established a military presence consisting of troops and UAVs in Djibouti, a country strategically located near former Italian East Africa.^[5][6]
• United Arab Emirates - Air Task Force (TFA) - 100 personnel. The Air Task Force is a department of the Italian Air Force that was established in 2002. Since then it has been operating to ensure the flow of personnel, equipment and materials directed to the national contingents in the theatre of operations, to ensure the serviceability of aircraft and technical means used for transport, keep in operation the communication system between homeland and the TFA and manage medical evacuations. The organization of the aforementioned department mirrors that of a Wing in Italy, with a flying component and a logistical and technical support unit.^[7][8]
• Lebanon - Italy has established a "Missione Bilaterale Italia Libano" to coordinate its contributions to international operations in the country (Italy has over 1000 troops operating in Lebanon).
• Malta - On 1 December 2011, the "Missione Italiana di Collaborazione nel Campo della Difesa" (MICCD) was established in Malta. The main objective of this mission is the cooperation between the Italian-Maltese Governments, the Technical-Military assistance and the training of the Maltese Armed Forces.^[9]

Japan

• Djibouti - Approximately 300 soldiers of the JGSDF and the JMSDF are currently stationed in Djibouti, with their air base and naval port established in July 2011.^[10][11] The base cost a total of $40 million and is a major part of Japan's role in monitoring piracy in the Indian Ocean.^[12] JSDF soldiers are based in the "Deployment Airforce for Counter-Piracy Enforcement (DAPE)" and are planned to be based in Djibouti as a relay station for any JSDF deployment in East Africa.^[11][13]

Russia

• Armenia - Air base in Yerevan, and a military base in Gyumri (102nd Military Base). Between 3,214^[14] and 5,000 personnel deployed.^[15] (Different sources cite different numbers.)
• Belarus - Volga-type deployed at radar station near Hantsavichy and Baranovichi (operational since 2002).^[16][17]Naval communication center near Vileyka.^[14] Jet fighters deployment at the 61st air base in Baranovichi.^[18]
• Georgia - The Russian 4th Military Base has 2 main compounds in the partially recognized state of South Ossetia: one on the northwestern outskirts of Tskhinvali and another in Java. There are also a large number of troops stationed in the Leningor District.^[19] Up to 4,000 personnel. Base in the partially recognized state of Abkhazia on the site of the former Bombora airfield near Gudauta (7th Military Base).^[19] Up to 4,000 personnel.
• Kazakhstan - Dnepr radar station in at Balkhash-9 near Lake Balkhash.^[14] Sary Shagan testing grounds.^[20] Baikonur Cosmodrome.^[21][22] The regiment of the transport aviation (Kostanay).
• Kyrgyzstan - Air base in Kant, and the Russian Navy's long-haul communications center and anti-submarine torpedo weapons testing ground at Karakol, located on Issyk Kul Lake.
• Moldova - Peacekeeping operation group stationed in breakaway state of Transnistria consisting of staff, separate manoeuvres brigades, anti-aircraft missile regiment, independent regiment and air group. (1,500 personnel.)
• Syria - Naval facility in Tartus.^[23] Russian Air Forces deployment at the Bassel Al-Assad International Airport in Latakia and 600 marines providing security for the airbase^[24]
• Tajikistan - 201st base of the Ministry of Defense in Dushanbe, Qurghonteppa, Kulob. 7,500 personnel.
• Vietnam - Russia has a logistics base in the port of Cam Ranh Bay,Vietnam .^[25] Although military presence had been diminishing for several years, in 2013 Russia and Vietnam signed a new military cooperation agreement.^[26]

Turkey

• Iraqi Kurdistan - More than 2,000 Turkish soldiers are deployed in the province of Dohuk in multiple bases, including 1,000 at Bamerni Airfield and a further 1,000 between Batifa and Kani Masi, as well as a number smaller garrisons.^[27]
• Qatar - Turkey announced plans in December 2015 to establish a military base to hold 3,000 Turkish military personnel in Qatar as part of a defense agreement aimed at helping them confront "common enemies,".^[28]
• Albania- Pasha Liman Base^[29]
• Cyprus- The Turkish military forces in Northern Cyprus currently have 30,000 Turkish Army personnel stationed on the Island.

United Kingdom

• Ascension Island - RAF Ascension Island is used as a refueling station for RAF aircraft travelling to the South Atlantic. It is also used as a radar and satellite surveillance station. It was used as a staging post during the 1982 Falklands War.
• Bahrain - The UK Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) provides support to Royal Navy ships in the Middle East. There is a permanent stationing of four minesweepers and a Bay-class landing ship dock.^[30] Construction of a new naval base, named HMS Juffair, began on 1 November 2015 to replace the UKMCC.^[31][32]
• Belize - British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) is used for jungle training. It was mostly deactivated in 2011, but has since seen increased usage.^[33] In November 2015, the government announced it was re-establishing the facility.^[34]
• Bermuda - 609 personnel of the Bermuda Regiment.
• British Indian Ocean Territory - A joint UK-US air/naval base on Diego Garcia, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
• Brunei - British Forces Brunei; a mechanized infantry battalion and a helicopter link; 900 personnel.
• Canada - British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) is host to over one-hundred armoured vehicles, including 40 Challenger 2 main battle tanks.
• Cyprus - British Forces Cyprus; several large military installations, including an air base (RAF Akrotiri), a radar station (RAF Troodos) and several garrisons, located within the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
• Falkland Islands - British Forces Falkland Islands; a small port, a large air base (RAF Mount Pleasant), a garrison and several radar installations.
• Germany - British Forces Germany; 4500 personnel mostly from 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Includes several large garrisons and training areas (including Sennelager Training Area).
• Gibraltar - British Forces Gibraltar; RAF Gibraltar, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron. Royal Navy ships also make regular use of the Port of Gibraltar.
• Kenya - British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) is a training area located in Nanyuki. Six infantry battalions utilise the training area per year.^[35]
• Nepal - A small contingent of British forces to recruit for the Brigade of Gurkhas.^[36]
• Oman - A detachment of Royal Navy Merlin helicopters in support of Operation Kipion. Duqm Port will be used to support Royal Navy ships, including the two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.^[37] The construction of a British Army training base is also under consideration.^[38]
• Qatar - RAF Al Udeid is used to support military operations in the Middle East. It was used to support Operation Herrick in Afghanistan, Operation Telic in Iraq, and since 2014, it has been used as the operational headquarters for Operation Shader.^[39]
• Sierra Leone - The International Mine Action Training Centre (IMATC) is located on the southern edge of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown.^[35]
• Singapore - A naval logistics support facility is maintained in Sembawang, shared with the other members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).^[36][40]
• South Africa - The British Peace Support Team (BPST (SA)) is located in Pretoria at the Peace Mission Training Centre. The team provides support and advice to the South African Department of Defence on aspects of democratic defence management and peace support operations.^[35]

United States

• Afghanistan - Camp Eggers, Camp Dwyer, Camp Leatherneck, Camp Rhino, Forward Operating Base Delhi, Forward Operating Base Delaram, Forward Operating Base Geronimo, Firebase Fiddler's Green, PB Jaker
• Australia - Pine Gap satellite tracking station, Partly run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
• Bahrain - United States Fifth Fleet, Naval Support Activity in Juffair, Isa Air Base
• Belgium - Chièvres Air Base, Kleine Brogel Air Base
• Brazil - United States Naval Support Detachment, São Paulo
• British Indian Ocean Territory - Joint UK-U.S. Air/Naval base on Diego Garcia, a territory of the UK
• Bulgaria - Aitos Logistics Center, Bezmer Air Base, Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Novo Selo Range
• Cuba - Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
• Djibouti - Camp Lemonnier
• Germany - Ramstein Air Base, Spangdahlem Air Base, Panzer Kaserne, about 60 facilities, more than 30,000 personnel
• Greece - Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Souda Bay, Crete
• Greenland (Denmark territory) - Thule Air Base
• Honduras - Soto Cano Air Base, about 600 personnel
• Israel - The Port of Haifa maintains facilities for the United States Sixth Fleet, Dimona Radar Facility in Negev
• Italy - The home base of U.S. naval ships in the Mediterranean, with some military bases: three Navy bases (Naples, La Maddalena, Gaeta), one Naval Air Station (Sigonella - Catania), one Air Force base (Aviano) and Army bases (Vicenza, Camp Derby - Leghorn) - totalling approximately 23,000 personnel, more than 100 facilities
• Japan - more than 50,000 personnel (not including dependants), the United States 7th Fleet, and the 3rd MEF, about 100 facilities many in Okinawa
• Kosovo (partially recognized state, disputed by Serbia) - Camp Bondsteel
• Kuwait - Ali Al Salem Air Base, Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, Kuwait Naval Base
• Netherlands - Volkel Air Base
• Norway - 426th Air Base Squadron in Stavanger
• Oman - RAFO Masirah, RAFO in Thumrait
• Portugal - Lajes Field
• Qatar - Al Udeid Air Base
• Romania
• Saudi Arabia - 64th Air Expeditionary Group
• Singapore - Paya Lebar Air Base
• South Korea - List of United States Army installations in South Korea, 28,500 personnel
• Spain - Morón Air Base, Naval Station Rota
• Turkey - Incirlik Air Base base in Adana, and Izmir Air Station
• United Arab Emirates - Al Dhafra Air Base, Port of Jebel Ali, Fujairah Naval Base
• United Kingdom - RAF Alconbury, RAF Croughton, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Menwith Hill, RAF Mildenhall, about 11,000 personnel

References

1. "Base Structure Report" (PDF). U.S. Department of Defense. p. 9. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/27/world/asia/china-military-presence-djibouti-africa.html?_r=0
3. http://thediplomat.com/2014/11/bhutan-the-indian-armys-front-line/
4. http://www.difesa.it/EN/Operations/InternationalOperations/AlbaniaDIE/Pagine/default.aspx
5. http://www.oceanuslive.org/main/viewnews.aspx?uid=00000591
6. http://mobile.ilsole24ore.com/solemobile/main?fn=srchFd&id=SEARCH/NEWS24/ABnNDIZ
7. http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/Operazioni/Internazionali/Pagine/7RepartoOperativoAutonomo.aspx
8. http://www.difesa.it/EN/Operations/InternationalOperations/EAU_AlBateen_TFAir/Pagine/default.aspx
9. http://www.difesa.it/EN/Operations/InternationalOperations/MaltaMICCD/Pagine/default.aspx
10. Hajime Furukawa (2011-05-29). "Djibouti base 'in natl interests'". The Daily Yomiuri. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
11. "SDF readies overseas base in Djibouti / 1st outpost abroad to help fight piracy". The Daily Yomiuri. 2011-05-29. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
12. Bruno de Paiva (2011-07-29). "Japan: National Involvement in the Indian Ocean Region" (PDF). Future Directions International.
13. Yoichi Kato (2011-08-25). "SDF's New Anti-Piracy Base Creates Dilemma". International Relations and Security Network.
14. Klein, Margarete (2009-10-12). "Russia's military capabilities". Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik.
15. "Medvedev Secures Long-Term Foothold in Armenia". The Moscow Times. 2010-08-23. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
16. "Днепр" на Балхаше ["Dnepr" in Balkhash] (in Russian). Novosti Kosmonavtiki. July 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-11-09. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
17. Heurlin, Beurtel (2005-08-24). Missile Defence: International, Regional and National Implications. Routledge. pp. 84–111. ISBN 9780415361200.
18. http://www.defensenews.com/article/20131209/DEFREG01/312090016/Russia-Deploys-First-Fighter-Jets-Belarus
19. Lavrov, Anton (2010). "Post-war Deployment of Russian Forces in Abkhazia and South Ossetia". In Ruslan Pukhov. The Tanks of August. Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. ISBN 978-5-9902320-1-3.
20. O'Connor, Sean (2009). "Russian/Soviet Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems". Air Power Australia. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
21. "Kazcosmos chief Talgat MUSABAEV: BAIKONUR IS STILL THE CORE OF KAZAKH-RUSSIAN COOPERATION IN SPACE". interfax.kz. February 2008.
22. "Kazakhstan Finally Ratifies Baikonur Rental Deal With Russia". spacedaily.com. April 12, 2010.
23. Fabrice Balanche (23 September 2015). "Latakia Is Assad's Achilles Heel". washingtoninstitute.org. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
24. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/15/world/middleeast/russian-military-uses-syria-as-proving-ground-and-west-takes-notice.html?_r=0
25. http://english.pravda.ru/russia/kremlin/14-01-2014/126592-military_bases-0/
26. Russia–Vietnam relations
27. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/01/10/iraq-ejects-turkish-armed-forces.html
28. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-qatar-turkey-military-idUSKBN0TZ17V20151216
29. http://m.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/01/21/turkey-foreign-military-bases-and-their-threat-to-stability.html
30. "The Royal Navy in the Middle East" (PDF). Royal Navy. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
31. "UK builds first permanent Middle East base for 40 years". BBC News. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
32. "Defence Secretary visits new Bahrain naval base". Royal Navy. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
33. "New Lease of Life for British Army Base in Belize". Forces TV. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
34. "National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015" (PDF). HM Government. November 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
35. "The British Army in Africa". British Army. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
36. "The Status and the Location of Military Installations of the Member States of the European Union" (PDF). European Parliament. 19 February 2009.
37. "Oman's Duqm port to support Royal Navy vessels". IHS Janes'. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
38. "UK Considering Permanent Army Training Base in Oman". Defense News. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
39. "UK and Qatar sign pact to combat jihadis and cyber warfare". Financial Times. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
40. "Navy: Far East:Written question - 32723". HM Government. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.

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